Unpacking 31 Verses To Live By – Day 14
Beloved in November of 1994, I traveled to Israel. I went with Global Missions Fellowship and walked the hills of Nazareth sharing my testimony. Then we toured Israel, and we went to many places, one of them was the Masada. The Masada is an ancient fortress in southern Israel’s Judean Desert. It’s on a massive plateau overlooking the Dead Sea. King Herod’s Palace is among the ruins, sprawling over three rock terraces and a Roman-style bathhouse with mosaic floors. The Masada Museum has archaeological exhibits and recreations of historical scenes. While there, I witnessed the military heavily guarding this place.
Our verse today is from one of my favorite psalms. Who am I kidding? Psalm is my favorite book of the Bible.
Let’s unpack this verse.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High,
The verse states the theme of the whole psalm. Those who draw near to God can have peace in Him, however, difficult their circumstances. Sometimes, we endure difficult circumstances; God says in James that we will undergo trials, but He is with us and will never leave us, and when we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. Read this promise in James.
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4: 7-8.
At the end of this verse, attributes of God of refuge and fortress, and a declaration of trust. The refuge is in the Bible 67 times, and the fortress is in the Bible 29 times. And trust is in the Bible 186 times. So when I think of a fortress, I think of the hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”
King Herod’s Palace overlooks the Dead Sea, and we had to climb up to reach the ruins so one could see why it was a fortress. In these verses, will you dwell in the secret place of the Most High God? Will you take refuge in Christ? Is God your fortress? How much do you trust God on a scale of 1-10?
Father God, You are the Most High God, You are our refuge and strength, a mighty fortress is our God. Thank you for being our God.
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